AMD Radeon R7 M465 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear hierarchy: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE outperforms the AMD Radeon R7 M465 in the only recorded head-to-head test, the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, with a score of 6389 versus 5841, a delta of 9.4%. The GTX 460 SE also holds a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs, sitting at the 37th percentile compared to the R7 M465's 33rd percentile. For users who prioritize raw compute performance in OpenCL workloads, the older NVIDIA card is the better choice, despite its earlier release date. However, the R7 M465 is not without its own merits: it offers double the memory capacity at 2 GB versus 1 GB, a newer architecture, and support for newer API features like Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (12_0). The decision ultimately hinges on whether the user values raw benchmark scores and higher percentile placement, favoring the GTX 460 SE, or newer feature sets and memory capacity, favoring the R7 M465.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE scores 6389, while the AMD Radeon R7 M465 scores 5841. This gives the NVIDIA card a 9.4% lead in this specific benchmark.

Q: How do these GPUs compare in terms of memory capacity and bandwidth?

A: The GTX 460 SE has 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding 108.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The R7 M465 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, which results in only 36.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card has significantly higher memory bandwidth, while the AMD card has double the capacity.

Q: What are the architectural differences between the two cards?

A: The GTX 460 SE is based on the GF104 chip using NVIDIA's Fermi architecture, built on a 40 nm process at TSMC. The R7 M465 uses the Topaz chip with AMD's GCN 3.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. The R7 M465 is a newer design, released in 2016 compared to the GTX 460 SE's 2010 release.

Q: Which GPU supports more modern APIs?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M465 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and does not list Vulkan support. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: How do the two cards compare in terms of pixel and texture rates?

A: The GTX 460 SE has a pixel rate of 7.800 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 31.20 GTexel/s. The R7 M465 has a slightly higher pixel rate of 8.192 GPixel/s but a lower texture rate of 24.58 GTexel/s.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two chips?

A: The GTX 460 SE's GF104 chip packs 1,950 million transistors into a 332 mm² die, resulting in a density of 5.9M transistors per mm². The R7 M465's Topaz chip contains 1,550 million transistors on a much smaller 125 mm² die, achieving a higher density of 12.4M transistors per mm².

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design philosophies and generations. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE uses the GF104 chip, which is built on the Fermi architecture. This chip is manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC and contains 1,950 million transistors on a die size of 332 mm². The transistor density here is 5.9M transistors per mm², which reflects the older, larger process node. The Fermi architecture was designed for desktop performance, and the GTX 460 SE's specifications, such as a 256-bit memory bus and 32 ROPs, are indicative of a mid-range desktop GPU from the GeForce 400 generation.

In contrast, the AMD Radeon R7 M465 is built on the Topaz chip, which uses the GCN 3.0 architecture. This is a much newer design, released in 2016 as part of the Gem System (R7 M400) generation. The chip is manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, also with 1,550 million transistors, but on a significantly smaller die of 125 mm². This results in a much higher transistor density of 12.4M transistors per mm², more than double that of the NVIDIA chip. The GCN 3.0 architecture is designed to be more efficient and supports newer features, including Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (12_0). The R7 M465's memory interface is narrower at 64-bit, which is typical for a mobile-oriented or entry-level discrete GPU.

The compute capabilities also differ. The GTX 460 SE has 288 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, while the R7 M465 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This means the AMD card has more shader processors but fewer texture mapping units and raster operation units. The FP32 performance is close: the GTX 460 SE delivers 748.8 GFLOPS, while the R7 M465 delivers 786.4 GFLOPS. Interestingly, the R7 M465 also lists FP16 performance at 786.4 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, which is not present for the NVIDIA card. This suggests the AMD card is more modern in its compute feature set.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two GPUs show clear contrasts across nearly every major field. The process node differs: the GTX 460 SE uses a 40 nm process, while the R7 M465 uses a 28 nm process. The transistor counts are 1,950 million for NVIDIA and 1,550 million for AMD, with die sizes of 332 mm² and 125 mm² respectively. This leads to a notable difference in transistor density: 5.9M transistors per mm² for the GTX 460 SE versus 12.4M for the R7 M465.

Memory configurations are starkly different. The GTX 460 SE has 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 108.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The R7 M465 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing only 36.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is also different: the GTX 460 SE runs at 850 MHz (3.4 Gbps effective), while the R7 M465 runs at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective). Despite the higher clock, the narrower bus severely limits the AMD card's overall bandwidth.

The clock speeds are another key differentiator. The GTX 460 SE does not list base or boost clocks in the data, but its memory clock is 850 MHz. The R7 M465 has a base clock of 730 MHz and a boost clock of 1024 MHz. The NVIDIA card has a TDP of 150 W and requires a 450 W power supply, with dual-slot cooling and 2x 6-pin power connectors. The AMD card does not list TDP, slot width, power connectors, or suggested PSU, which is typical for a mobile GPU that is not user-upgradeable.

The bus interface also differs: the GTX 460 SE uses PCIe 2.0 x16, while the R7 M465 uses PCIe 3.0 x8. Display outputs are listed for the NVIDIA card (2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a) but not for the AMD card. The GTX 460 SE has a length of 210 mm (8.3 inches), while the R7 M465 has no dimensions listed. Finally, the release dates are far apart: the GTX 460 SE was released on November 14, 2010, while the R7 M465 was released on May 14, 2016. The NVIDIA card's launch MSRP was 160 USD, while the AMD card has no launch MSRP listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark between these two GPUs is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE scores 6389, while the AMD Radeon R7 M465 scores 5841. This results in a 9.4% win for the NVIDIA card. This is a significant margin, especially considering that the GTX 460 SE is a much older product, released in 2010, compared to the R7 M465's 2016 release.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each card provides additional context. The GTX 460 SE's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M, which has an identical average score of 6389, representing a 0% delta. The next closest is the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72 GB Blackwell, which scores 6407, a 0.3% deficit for the GTX 460 SE. On the other side, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 scores 6330 (0.9% behind) and the AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 6327 (1% behind). These numbers suggest that the GTX 460 SE sits in a performance tier that is competitive with much newer and more expensive GPUs, at least in this specific OpenCL workload.

For the R7 M465, its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R5 M435, which scores 5859, a 0.3% lead for the R7 M465. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5929, which is 1.5% ahead of the R7 M465. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti scores 5731, putting it 1.9% behind the R7 M465. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955, which is 1.9% ahead. This places the R7 M465 in a lower performance tier, competing with integrated graphics and older entry-level discrete GPUs.

The win count is also decisive: the head-to-head data shows 1 win for the GTX 460 SE and 0 wins for the R7 M465. This is the only benchmark recorded, so the narrative is straightforward. The GTX 460 SE is faster in OpenCL compute, and the margin is large enough to be meaningful for users who rely on this type of workload.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE wins in overall compute performance, as measured by the Geekbench OpenCL score. It achieves 6389 points, which is 9.4% higher than the R7 M465's 5841. This is the primary metric in the database, and it places the GTX 460 SE at the 37th percentile of all GPUs, versus the 33rd percentile for the R7 M465. The GTX 460 SE also has a massive advantage in memory bandwidth, with 108.8 GB/s compared to 36.00 GB/s, a 3x difference. This is due to the 256-bit memory bus versus the 64-bit bus. For tasks that are bandwidth-sensitive, such as high-resolution texture streaming or certain compute workloads, the GTX 460 SE would likely perform disproportionately better.

The GTX 460 SE also has a higher texture rate at 31.20 GTexel/s versus 24.58 GTexel/s for the R7 M465, which could benefit texture-heavy workloads. However, the R7 M465 wins in pixel rate, with 8.192 GPixel/s versus 7.800 GPixel/s for the GTX 460 SE, a modest 5% advantage. This could make the AMD card slightly better for fill-rate-bound scenarios. The R7 M465 also has more shading units (384 vs 288) and higher FP32 compute (786.4 GFLOPS vs 748.8 GFLOPS), though the OpenCL benchmark does not reflect this theoretical advantage. This discrepancy suggests that the GTX 460 SE's architecture is more efficient at translating raw specs into actual compute performance.

The AMD Radeon R7 M465 wins on memory capacity, offering 2 GB versus 1 GB, which is useful for workloads that require larger framebuffers, such as high-resolution textures or multi-monitor setups. It also has a more modern feature set, including Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (12_0), which the GTX 460 SE lacks. The GTX 460 SE only supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed. For users running modern games or applications that leverage Vulkan, the R7 M465 is the only viable choice between the two.

The R7 M465 also benefits from a newer manufacturing process (28 nm vs 40 nm), which likely contributes to better power efficiency, although no TDP is listed for the AMD card. The GTX 460 SE is specified at 150 W TDP, which is high for a card of its performance class. In summary, the GTX 460 SE is the performance winner in the recorded benchmark and in memory bandwidth, while the R7 M465 is the choice for users who need more memory, modern API support, or who are building a system with a smaller power footprint.